


Inner Demons

by Mandakatt



Category: Devil May Cry
Genre: Depression, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Multi, Negative Thoughts, Open Relationship, Reader-Insert, Self-Insert, gender neutral reader, polyship, self-deprecating thoughts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-01
Updated: 2020-09-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:09:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,620
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22061590
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mandakatt/pseuds/Mandakatt
Summary: Someday’s that negative voice in your head makes you believe that you are unworthy of what you have. That your skills will never be good enough. Dante, Vergil, Nero and V are out to prove to you that you are worth more than that voice tells you.
Relationships: Dante (Devil May Cry)/Reader, Dante/Nero/V/Vergil (Devil May Cry), Dante/Nero/V/Vergil/Reader (Devil May Cry), Nero (Devil May Cry)/Reader, V (Devil May Cry)/Reader, Vergil (Devil May Cry)/Reader
Comments: 30
Kudos: 200





	1. Surrender

“Heyyy there, what’s eatin’ at you Sunshine?”

Your brows were pinched in scowl of concentration as you started to look away from your laptop to glance at Dante as he leaned against your desk. He waited a moment before his brows lifted a little, and his arms crossed over his chest. It was then that you realized he’d said something to you, and his easy smile caused what felt like butterflies in your gut.

“Ah, sorry, it’s nothing really… I guess.”

“That doesn’t sound like a solid answer,” Dante spoke softly, his smile turning a bit crooked before he moved himself closer. “Wanna talk about it?”

Watching him for a moment you slowly looked away from him, gently shaking your head. “Nah, not really.” 

“Hey,” Dante’s voice was gentle as he leaned to be sort of in your line of sight. “You sure?”

“Yeah, I’m sure,” you tried to smile genuinely as you looked up at him, before sighing a little. “I think I’m just tired, I probably should call it an early night.” 

Dante eyes traveled over your face a moment, glancing down at your lips before looking back up to your eyes. He could tell something was bothering you, and wanted so badly to fix it, but he knew that if he pushed the subject too hard, you’d never tell him a thing.

“Alright, have it your way, but remember,” he then leaned down, bringing his face close to yours, and grinned when your eyes got wider. “You can come talk to me, or any of us at anytime, okay?”

“Y-Yeah, yeah I remember,” You laughed softly as you placed your hand on his face and gently pushed him back, smiling for real this time. “Stay out of my face you goof. I’ve got a bit of work to do yet before I can call it a night.” 

Dante chuckled as he reached up to grasp your wrist only to bring your hand to his lips so he could press a gentle kiss to your palm before giving you that signature, cheeky wink. “Alright, but don’t stay up to late.”

“Since when are you my keeper?”

“Someone’s gotta keep you on a decent sleeping schedule!” Dante’s grin remained on his features as he pushed away from your desk, heading back toward his room.

“Pff, the only thing that would keep me on track is if you paid your bills more often!”

“Nah, that’s up to you Sunshine! You are my bookkeeper after all!” and he threw a wave to you over his shoulder. 

You couldn’t help but chuckle a little as you shook your head before going back to the task at hand, heaving a sigh at not only the workload in front of you, but you couldn't silence that little nagging negative voice in your head. It was one of those days where you were starting to believe everything it was telling you. Things you knew that the entire DMC crew would tell it–no, tell you–were wrong. 

_You don’t deserve this. You don’t deserve them. They are doing this out of pity. They could do so much better. Someone better will come along. Someone that looks ‘good’ at their side. Someone_ – 

–sucking in a breath you closed your laptop with a huff.

Giving off a soft groan you rubbed your eyes gently with your thumb and forefinger before leaning back in your chair. You crossed your arms over your chest and frowned. Usually the only way you got that dumb, negative voice to shut up was to ignore it in your sleep.

“You look so weary. What troubles you so?” 

You jumped slightly as your head snapped in the direction of that soft, velvety voice. 

“Oh, V…”

“Apologies, I did not mean to startle you,” V gave you a gentle smile as he approached, and gently reached up to brush the back of his fingers against your cheek. His smile grew further as your eyes fluttered a bit. “But I wish to help. Tell me, what is it that troubles my little sparrow?”

Feeling your face grow warm at the pet name you hummed softly as you reached up to grasp his hand gently, and give it a light squeeze. “I promise it is nothing that I can’t handle V, just.. I’m thinking Dante was onto something with me needing a good night’s sleep.”

“It would seem that he has some brains to his brawn,” V smirked as you laughed, but he could tell it was strained. “But I will remind you the same as he, you may come talk to us if something troubles you.” 

“I”ll remember. Thank you, V.” 

You stood slowly from your seat only to be surprised once again as he brought your hand up to his lips to brush them slowly against your knuckles. 

“Then, rest, and dream well, my little sparrow…”

_You don’t deserve them._

“Good night, V.” You gave him a gentle smile as you leaned to kiss his cheek, then gently pulled your hand from his as you turned to head to your room. 

_They are doing this out of pity._

Your eyes close for a moment at the memory of how the entire DMC crew insisted that you had your own room as your hand rested on the knob. You wondered if this was how Dante had planned to pay you, room and board instead of actual cash. The shop felt more like home than your apartment in downtown Red Grave. But now, it felt like you were doing nothing but being in the way.

_They will replace you with someone better._

With a huff you pushed open the door to your room before closing it slowly behind you.

V watched your door for a moment before turning his head to look at the one that now stood beside him. “Something weighs so very heavy on their shoulders…” 

Vergil made a soft noise of acknowledgement as he stared at your door, frowning slightly. “So it would seem. Coddling however, is not the way to get them to talk.”

“None of us have gone so far as to coddle them. It is more, comfort we offer in our own ways. I believe that even you wish to lighten their burdens if it is within your power to do so.” 

Pale eyes turned to the man next to him and he was conflicted for a moment as he pondered those words, and the truth in them. He did not like seeing you burdened with something that he could not simply strike down with the Yamato. Human emotions were so complex, and he was still learning what to do exactly with what he was feeling. Especially with the desire that filled him to protect you. 

To Keep you safe and sound at his side where he would gladly fight off the world for you if he must. 

Vergil’s frown grew before he took a deep breath and turned his eyes slowly back to your closed door. “I am positive that I have this power you speak of.”

“Perhaps,” V chuckled softly as he moved his cane to tap it gently against Vergil’s leg. “However scowling at their door will not improve the situation.” 

“I will leave them to rest,” Vergil huffed instead, turning on his heel to head to his own room. “I suggest you do the same.”

V watched Vergil stalk off, an amused smirk pulling at his lips before he heard a loud yawn behind him. He turned enough to watch the youngest Sparda wander into the room, rubbing a towel against his damp hair. 

“Guess I missed something big, huh?”

“It would seem our little sparrow has a cloud hanging over their head. Dante tried to chase it away, and I offered to listen to them should they so wish, but they have retired to their room for the evening.” V turned to face him properly. “Even Vergil has noticed the change in their demeanor.”

Nero’s eyes went from V, to your door and his brows pinched. “A cloud huh?” he turned to look back at V. “Did they seem really kinda sad or–?”

“Simply as if something was weighing them down. More than the worries that normally accompanied them looking after the finances of the shop. I am sure that Dante is already forming a plan to cheer them up.” 

Nero nodded gently then turned to look once more to your bedroom door. 

_“You always try to take on too much.”_ He thought idly before he wondered what had upset you. Had someone said something to you, or done something to you to cause you to just close yourself off? He scowled a little feeling his temper start to rise before he felt that gentle tap of V’s cane against his leg. 

Snorting out a soft laugh Nero turned to V and smirked. “I bet he is. Guess that means I should probably beat him to the punch.”

“Let them rest for now. Tomorrow we shall try to help them attack this problem head on.”

“Damn right we will….” Nero growled softly. 

V gave him a nod then headed off to his own room, and Nero once more looked to your door. He wanted to go up to your door and knock, and see if you’d let him keep you company. He wanted to hold you and soothe your worries, let you sleep in the safety of his arms. But he wasn’t sure if that would make things worse. 

So for now he’d let you rest. 

Tomorrow however, you were fair game.


	2. Jackpot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dante knew that your mood had been very...low, as of late. 
> 
> He hated the fact that the light in your eyes wasn't as bright as it used to be, and he wasn't sure if it was something he'd done, or someone else had, but dammit, he knew he had to try to fix it. 
> 
> Spontaneous dates are good for that right?

If you had asked Dante to pick one of the things from his romantic relationship he loved the most--beyond movie and pizza night which was and will always be number one--was the fact that he could be completely and entirely spontaneous with you. 

He knew that he could count on you to just roll with whatever he suddenly had planned and it would entirely make his day. And yes, there were those times where you'd groan and roll your eyes at him but you always did it with a teasing smile, and  _ god _ , he wanted to kiss that smile off your lips and make you absolutely breathless. 

Then again, kissing you breathless was always fun cause he loved that glazed happy look you always got afterwards…but with the way your mood had been the last few days, he wasn’t sure if kissing you breathless would make it better.

Well...okay. That wasn’t entirely true. 

He knew that kissing you breathless was an excellent way of distracting you. It was a great way, in his opinion, to get your mind off things that he loved doing, but he just wasn’t sure that was the exact thing you needed right now. So, instead he walked quietly alongside you, smiling softly each time you looked at him, and he couldn't help but laugh as you rolled your eyes. He knew that you knew he was up to something, and though you acted indifferent to it all he caught that smile that was forcing the corner of your mouth upwards. 

“Wanna tell me where we’re going?”

“Why would I do that when that just ruins the surprise?” Dante said with a grin at the skeptical look you gave him before he guided you into a small coffee shop, ordered your favorite, and paid for it. With  _ real  _ money. The look on your face was priceless and he couldn’t help himself as he burst out laughing as he gently placed his hand on the small of your back to lead you back outside. A few moments later he heard you give off a soft, almost self-deprecating sigh, it was a noise he was used to hearing from you when you got lost in your head, so to bring you out of it he gently moved his hand to yours, and gave it a squeeze. 

Only to then be surprised by you when you gently pulled him to a stop.

“Dante, what is this all about?”

“What? I can’t take you out on a date ‘cause I wanna?”

“You never just want to though, there’s always something attached to it, or there’s a bill collector breathing hard on the back of your neck...”

“Well, this time I promise you it isn’t ‘cause of something like that,” Dante gently rubbed his thumb against your hand. “It’s ‘cause I know something is bugging you..” 

“Ah.. I wondered if that’s what this sudden ‘date’ was about…” 

Dante sighed as he moved just a step closer as you looked down at your feet. “Look, I just wanted to do something to try to lighten your mood a little. You’ve been working so damned hard for all of us lately, I figured I’d simply show you how much I--we appreciate you lately.” 

When you sighed again and kept your eyes on your feet he clicked his tongue and gently placed his finger under your chin to lift your face. When he finally could see your eyes he gave you a cheeky wink, and that signature lopsided grin.

“You know, my eyes are up here Sweetheart...” 

“Ugh,” you groaned but there was a hint of a smile on your lips and a little laughter in your voice. “Could you not?”

“Nah, no can do. It’s all part of the big, charming package that is yours truly." Dante gestured to himself with a bit of a flourish and a huge teasing grin. He watched you roll your eyes at him before you sighed quietly and looked back at the ground and a slight frown pulled his lips downward. He could see you getting lost in your head, and to stop you from staying there too long he simply reached out and took your hand again, gently petting his thumb against the back of it. 

"I'm sorry…" you groaned. 

"What for?" 

"Just…I don't know. For just being me?"

"You uh, wanna tell me what you mean by that?" Dante asked softly as you sighed deeply and looked back down at your feet. He let you collect yourself a moment before he gave your hand a squeeze. 

"For being someone that holds you back...?"

He could tell by the way you groaned and looked back down at your feet that he looked confused, but he was glad to hear you continue. 

"You could do so much better than me. Both with someone in looks and…I dunno. Maybe someone that could do more than just take care of the books in the shop. Someone that could fight at your side instead. Someone--" 

"Hey," Dante cut you off as he brought his hands up to cup your face, gently petting his thumbs against your skin. He smiled a little when you tried to pull away but stopped yourself. “You do know that there’s no one else out there like you, right?”

“Dante--”

“No, I mean it,” he then stepped just a little closer to you, part of his mouth turning up with a bit of a smile. “God, you’ve got no idea what you do to me, or the rest of us do you? How amazing it feels when it’s  _ your _ body pressed up against mine. Shit. There's so many days I know I’ve had to take care of a few  _ issues _ before coming back to the shop just because you were running around in my mind, while I was out on a job.”

Huffing out a soft laugh you gently shook your head. “Dante--”

“Hey, C’mere a sec,” and Dante gently pulled you closer by placing a hand on the back of your head to draw you to his chest. He smiled as he gently pressed his nose against the top of your head when your ear went right over his heart. “...I’m sure you can hear how loud it is right?”

Blinking a moment in surprise you remained where you were, then gently nodded. 

“Now…touch me.”

You snorted softly. “Dante--”

Laughing, he kissed the top of your head. “Not like that sunshine--well not yet anyway, but just humor me. Here--” and he gently grasped your free hand and placed your palm against his chest. He smiled when he felt you tense when his heart rate sped up. “--you are the reason it does that, y’know. It wants you, it has wanted you since I met you if I’m gonna be honest. And it doesn’t have a damned thing to do with how good you look. It doesn’t have a damned thing to do with how strong you are. It only cares about  _ you _ , the fact that you love me, and the rest of us. The fact that I know you’re scared each time for me that I go out on a job...and honestly, that makes you stronger than me.”

“Huh?” you drew back from him, looking up at him confused. 

“Sunshine, if you did my job...I don’t think I could let you go out the door. The idea of losing you scares the  _ fuck _ out of me,” he reached up to gently brush the back of his knuckles against your cheek. “You’re stronger than me because you let me go each time, with only the hope that I’ll come back.”

“You…you promised me you’d come back and I believe that.”

“Good, then believe that I’m always going to be here.  _ Right here _ . At your side where I want to be because of one reason.”

“And what reason is that?” you asked timidly, your voice soft as he felt you gently press your cheek into his hand as he cupped your face again.

“Because, I love you.” Dante said with a sigh as he leaned to rest his forehead gently against yours. “I love  _ you _ . Not because of your looks or your brains--well okay, maybe your brains. ‘Cause you’ve gotten most of the bill collectors off my ass but that’s beside the point...”

You laughed softly and closed your eyes a little. “That’s called  _ actually  _ paying your bills Dante.”

“Wow, what a concept!” he laughed softly before lifting his head enough to gently kiss your forehead. “It’s something I would have never thought of!”

“Apparently…” he heard you huff out another laugh then move your head away from his chest, and before you got too far he leaned in and kissed you silent. He felt you tense for a brief moment then practically melt into that kiss as he put all of his feelings for you into it, and he felt damned proud when the kiss broke and you chased after him a little.

“God, I love doing that…” Dante laughed as he brought you close to his chest again once more nosing into your hair with a sigh. “Now then, how about we finish this date I got planned with you, and we head home and just snuggle on the couch for a while?”

“How about--” you began with a sigh as he finally watched you shake off that slightly dazed look on your face and smile. “--we just skip right to the snuggling on the couch and we get pizza and watch movies instead?”

“Did I happen to tell you I love you? Cause  _ god  _ do I love you.”

Hearing you laugh softly as Dante took your hand and started to lead you back toward Devil May Cry he was content with how you fell in stride next to him and loved how the light returned in your eyes when you mentioned watching some sort of cheesy action flick and what kind of pizza the two of you should order. 

He knew that your inner demons were something that you had to fight mostly on your own, but being a Devil Hunter and demon slayer himself...he’d do whatever he could to remind you that he was there to help you fight them every step of the way.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dante can come take me on a spontaneous date any time. 
> 
> V will be up next! ♥


	3. Vanquish

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> V could tell that something weighed heavily on you, the way you tried to shoulder the burden of it. The way you kept it to yourself. 
> 
> It reminded him of the way one would hide a wound, to not worry anyone else with the injury. But that is when a wound festers, and gets worse. If he had to be the catalyst that cleansed the wound...
> 
> Then so be it.

_“In the universe,_ _  
_ _there are things that are known,_ _  
_ _and things that are unknown,_ _  
_ _and in between, there are doors.”_

V let his fingers gently glide over the page in front of him, his brows pinching just so as he read the poem again. It always amazed him how he sometimes could find answers like this, as if the book was guiding him to find the answers that he always seemed to be lacking. He took a bit of a breath and huffed it out through his nose when he heard the door open to your room, and he lifted his eyes from the page. His head tilted just a little as he watched you make your way downstairs, and he felt his heart clench a little at the sight of you.

Your hair was messy from sleep and you kept your eyes cast to the floor as you made your way to the shop's kitchen; probably to make your morning drink, and yet you never noticed he was there. Normally, even if you were only partly awake from just having woken up you would at least bid him good morning.  
  
However, the fact you did not greet him at all bothered him greatly. 

Shadow slowly lifted his head from the floor and slowly swung his head in V’s direction before letting off a deep rumbling huff. 

“Yes, so it would seem,” V replied softly as he snapped his book shut. 

“Wonder what Dante did to piss ‘em off...” Griffon huffed from his perch nearby. “I mean, Dante pisses _me_ off, so that's gotta be the reason, right?”

“Unfortunately in this case, I believe you are wrong. This is something more. Something else. And I do not like how heavily it weighs them down.” 

Shadow made a noise that was a cross between a purr and a chuff as he languidly got to his feet and slowly padded his way into the kitchen after you, which caused V to smile. 

“You gonna let him take the lead then, huh Shakespear?”

“No one is able to resist Shadow when he is in a friendly mood.”

“Friendly? I ain’t never once seen him be _friendly_ to me.”

“Oh but of course you have,” V reassured him as he set his book aside and scooped his cane up from where he’d left it resting next to him. “I believe just the other day he was showing you just how _friendly_ he could be.”

"Excuse me!? That was him _bein’_ friendly? Bullshit! He was tryin’ to bite my tail feathers off!” Griffon huffed as he fluffed up at the memory, before he ducked his head under a wing and preened himself a little.

V couldn’t help but huff out a soft laugh that caused the corner of his mouth to pull up into a lopsided grin as he stood up easily from his seat and adjusted the cane in his hand. He marveled at it a moment, knowing that he truly didn’t need it to walk but he had always found the weight of it in his hand a strange, yet odd comfort. Perhaps it had become to him the same comforting weight that the Yamato had become to Vergil, and that thought amused him even more. With a shake of his head he slowly made his way toward the kitchen where he found you, on your knees gently rubbing the sides of Shadows face in both your hands. 

“Good morning lovely,” you cooed as you pressed a gentle kiss to the space between Shadow’s eyes. “I am sorry I didn’t say anything to you sooner. Yes yes, I apologize, and no I was not ignoring you, I was simply...lost in my head.”

“And have you now found your way?” V asked you softly as he leaned gently against the entryway to the kitchen. He let his eyes roam over you and felt a frown pull his lips downward at the dark circles he saw under your eyes, the lack of color in your cheeks. It was as if the whole world was suddenly on your shoulders and he could do nothing but watch you succumb to its weight.  
  
“And if you have not, Little Sparrow, I do hope that you remember that I--we--” and he gently gestured with his hand to the large, demonic cat in front of you. “--are here to guide you back to where you wish to be, should you require it.” 

“...Little wanderer hie thee home…” you mumbled softly and gently rubbed Shadow’s ears with a little smile. 

He felt his lips pull upwards into a gentle smile as he slowly started to move closer, his cane gently tapping against the floor as he watched you, your shoulders drooping further the closer he got to you as your brows pinched together with an almost sad expression. 

You reminded him much of a child that feared being scolded for doing something wrong. 

Shadow gently nuzzled his head against yours as he let out that soft, deep rumbling chuff before he turned his head to V and growled, that red glow rippling down his hide as V moved closer and knelt down beside him as he simply rested his hand against Shadow's back.

“I know, my friend,” he soothed Shadow softly, his green eyes lifting to you once more. You had yet to look up at him but you kept petting your fingers slowly through Shadow’s fur, as if you were grounding yourself, and then, he got an idea. 

“Little Sparrow…” When you lifted your eyes to him finally he gave you a gentle smile. “Will you come with me?” and he offered you his hand and waited. 

It took you a moment to place your hand in his, but it caused his smile to brighten as he got to his feet and pulled you up with him. He didn’t grip your hand firmly, more he just gently grasped your fingers just enough as he led you from the kitchen. 

“Oh, but my--”

“I promise you that you can come back for your drink in a moment, Little Sparrow, for the moment, I simply need you to follow me...please?”

Feeling his heart flutter in his chest when you gave him a gentle smile, then a nod of your head as you moved up alongside him he had to laugh softly as Shadow brushed his entire form against your leg. You reached down to gently pet your hand over the top of his head as V led you back to the couch, and sat down. He rested his cane near the arm rest, and when you sat down he quickly, yet gently, reached over for you, placing a hand on the back of your head while the other grasped your opposite shoulder. 

He paused when you tensed and gave you a gentle smile. “Do you trust me, Little Sparrow?”

“Yes of course,” you blinked at him once, then gave him a smile. “Always...” 

“I am glad. Now then,” and he guided your head down to his lap, letting your head rest gently against his thigh. He waited a moment as you shifted to get comfortable.

“Well now, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes,” Griffon huffed at you as he shuffled on his perch from the back of the couch, fluttering his wings a little before leaning down just a bit to get a better look at you. 

“Ah,” you blinked at the bird then laughed a little. “Sorry Griffon, Good morning.” 

“Bout time you said it, I was beginning to think you forgot all about little old me!”

Laughing again you turned your head enough to be able to look at the bird properly. “I could never forget you…” 

Griffon puffed himself up proudly again as he ruffled his wings, showing that he was quite pleased with your answer, before he shuffled along the back of the couch to get closer to you, leaning down enough for you to pet him, and his eyes closed in bliss. “Good morning to you too, Sweetheart.”

V watched you a moment, the way you huffed out a little laugh and yet how the smile that came with it didn’t reach your eyes. He then started to slowly pet his fingers along your hair, and when you paused to look up at him, he simply smiled down at you and then worked his fingers, featherlight, over your forehead. 

He watched your eyes flutter shut as he gently continued to work his fingers along your skin, down over your ear, then up along your jaw, only to chuckle a little when you tensed and audibly swallowed as his finger worked down along the side of your neck. 

“Something weighs on you, Little Sparrow,” and he watched your expression shift to something sad as you turned your eyes away from him. He felt his heart clench in his chest as he continued to pet his fingers along your skin, as he took a little breath and started to recite a poem to you that he knows is one of your favorites.

 _“A truth told with bad intent,_ _  
_ _Beats all the lies you can invent._ _  
_ _It is right it should be so;_ _  
_ _Man was made for joy, and woe;_ _  
_ _And when this we rightly know,_ _  
_ _Thro’ the World we safely go.”_

V watched your brows furrow at his words before you screwed your eyes shut and simply nuzzled gently into his thigh. You were fighting with yourself, he could see and feel it in the way you moved against him, but he did not push you. He only hoped that his words, though they might be the words of his beloved poet, may help you in return. 

_“Love seeketh not itself to please,_ _  
_ _Nor for itself hath any care,_ _  
_ _But for another gives its ease--”_

“...and builds a Heaven in Hell’s despair…"

V paused in his petting of your skin as you finished the poem for him, only to let his fingers trail down your arm to gently take your hand in his. He gently laced your fingers together and simply kept it close to your chest. And again he waited. He could feel Griffon shift next to him, growing anxious at how you were acting, and Shadow too, his coat glowing red as he edged himself closer to the couch, giving you a rumbling huff before you spoke. 

“...I’m sorry...”

It came out breathy and V’s brows pinched in confusion as he looked down at you. “Why are you sorry, Little Sparrow? There must be a reason for me to forgive you,” and he pet his thumb slowly against your hand. “And as far as I know you have done nothing to wrong me, or mine...”

He watched you quietly, his fingers still gently working over your hair as your brows pinched in thought. It was as if you were struggling to tell him the truth. He took a bit of a breath, and opened his mouth to speak--

"I’m sorry for being me..."

"...for being you?"

"I'm weak," you stated softly, turning your head further away from him to look at the floor. "I'm nothing but a weak little human that can't--I'm not even someone worth looking at twice. I'm not as strong as you...as the others. All of you could do so much better--"

"That’s enough."

He felt you tense at his slightly sharp tone, and when you tried to get up he gently placed his hand on your shoulder and kept you there as he took in a deep breath through his nose then let it out with a sigh.  
  
"You should know that I have felt the same-- _believed_ the same, as that was the mentality in which I was born..."

His hand moved away from your shoulder as you sat up and you turned your head to face him, and before you could say anything he gently moved his hand to place a finger gently against your lips, as a soft smile turned his own upwards.

"You will dispute me. Say that I am much stronger than you because I have the ability to fight demons. But you must remember that it is not _me_ that fights them, it is my familiars, those that I have created a pact with--" he shushed you gently when you made a noise. "--you may even say that I am stronger than you because I was able to form such a pact, that because I am stronger than you that I was not devoured by the feline at your side, or the bird at your back. When I believe wholeheartedly, that anyone; including you, could have done so."

V watched you slowly blink at him, sigh then look down at Shadow, who had moved to push himself against the couch and chuffed up at you. 

"You do know that he's right, don'tcha Sweetheart?" Griffon huffed from his spot on the couch, moving just a bit closer to you. "It's us that does all the fightin'. There ain't once that Shakespeare ever lifted a finger to do any sort of damage to any--AWK! HEY!"

Griffon had puffed up after getting tapped on the head with V's cane. You'd never seen him move to grasp it either, so it surprised you enough that it caused you to laugh. 

"While you believe you are weak, Little Sparrow, it is actually the opposite. I have learned; thanks to you, that it is humans like you, with such an indomitable strength of will...that _you_ are so much stronger than one that has the blood of Sparda in his veins."

He couldn't help but chuckle at the rather surprised look on your face, as he gently moved his finger from your lips, to brush the back of his fingers against your cheek before cupping your face in his hand. "It is you that is stronger than I. You, every day, understand the weight of what we do. Everyday you fear that we may not come back, and yet you simply believe in the hope that we will. That, my darling Little Sparrow, makes you stronger than all of us."

V gently pet his thumb under your eye to gently wipe away the tear you hadn't realized to fall. He waited a moment for you to take a deep breath to calm yourself, and then smiled when your eyes met his. 

_"This life's dim windows of the soul,_ _  
_ _Distorts the heavens from pole to pole,_  
_And leads you to believe a lie,_ _  
_ When you see with, not through the eye."

"...please don't make me cry…"

He chuckled softly as he moved his hand to the back of your head to pull you closer so he could rest his forehead against your own. He remained there for a moment, just quietly breathing you in before he let his eyes close. "There is nothing wrong with crying, Little Sparrow, but you do not see what I see. What _we_ see when we look at you. You, as you are and as you have been are enough." though when he heard you sniffle, he felt his heart clench as he slowly brought his hand away from your cheek to wrap his arm around your shoulders so he could gently pull you closer to his chest, as he gently pressed his nose into your hair. 

“My Little Sparrow. You have _always_ been enough. You _always_ will be enough. And you should remember that I love you, and shall love you till the end of time itself.”

“Hey, it ain’t just him y’know,” Griffon fluttered his wings a little as he simply leaned over and rested his beak gently against the top of your head. You couldn’t see it, but something about the way Griffon rested against you felt as if the bird was smiling and felt rather content. “I mean, sure, ya know that those other Sparda jerks adore ya to hell and back, but...remember, that includes us too.” 

Shadow moved then, a quiet rumbling purr reaching your ears as he gently put his paws on the couch in front of you and moved to nuzzle his large head against your neck and face, causing you to laugh quietly, but then the cat’s eyes met yours. You blinked slowly as they seemed to stare into your very soul, and while anyone else might have been afraid, all you felt was peace before he chuffed again, that red glow rippling down his hide as he once more pushed his head against yours and only moved away when he heard you huff out a soft laugh. 

“See? Shakespeare ain’t the only one that can say something from the heart.”

“Aw, you have a heart?" V said with a rather dramatic sigh. "I never would have guessed..”

Griffon fluffed up against the back of your head, giving off a soft, almost indignant squawk as he lifted his head. “Shut your trap Shakespear! I’m only like this cause--”

“Cause you love me. The same as I love you,” you laughed softly when Griffon audibly snapped his beak shut, made a soft cooing noise then turned his head away from you as you looked up at him from the couch. “Thank you...for reminding me,” you then quickly moved to take Shadow’s head into your hands and press a kiss to the top of his muzzle, earning you a soft, rumbling chuff. “And you…”

V smiled softly as he watched you only to lift a brow when you finally turned back to him. Your eyes seemed to search his for a moment before you sighed, then gently snuggled yourself up against his chest. He gave off a quiet, relieved sigh as he let himself gently rest his chin against the top of your head as you spoke softly. 

“I love you too, V. Very much. I just...sometimes--”

“I understand,” he said with a gentle smile as he simply pet his fingers along your arm and shoulder. “I understand the struggle well with inner demons, but I wish for you to simply remember, that I will always be here to help you fight them should you wish me to, or if you simply wish for me to be nearby while you eliminate them yourself.” 

He pressed a gentle kiss to the top of your head as you gave him a gentle nod, and with another content sigh he moved to grasp his book. He glanced at you briefly as you shifted against him, getting comfortable as you kept yourself snuggled up against his chest. He adjusted the book in his hand as his other arm simply draped over you as he began to read to you. He smiled a bit more so between his words when you relaxed against him further and let yourself drift back to sleep.

“Sleep well Sweetheart,” Griffon cooed softly as he settled on the back of the couch, his head turning gently to the side. “Don’t you worry. We’ll be watchin’ over ya…” 

Shadow chuffed himself and got up slowly to move himself to the far end of the floor by the couch, as if he was putting himself in the way of you and anything that might come in your direction which got V to smile, he did love giving the youngest Sparda a hard time anytime he came close to you after all.

With a soft smile V continued to read to you, hoping that his words would reach you in your dreams with the hope that you would remember that no matter what your inner demons tried to get you to believe, that he would always be here to rebuke them. 

To help you slay them. 

In this life…and his next.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ah the lovely poet. 
> 
> His soothing voice could probably talk me out of any sort of a bad day. 
> 
> Vergil will be up next!

**Author's Note:**

> You can find me also on [Twitter](https://twitter.com/Mandakatt) and [Tumblr](https://mandakatt.tumblr.com/)


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